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SMU students will now need overseas experience to graduate

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Students joining the Singapore Management University (SMU) from August will need overseas experience to graduate, the university said yesterday in a report by The Straits Times.

This could include exchange programmes, internships, cultural exchanges and immersions, among other kinds of programmes. Professor Lim Kian Guan, SMU’s vice-provost for undergraduate matters, said in the report: “Global traction and understanding underpins success in careers in today’s globally connected environment. To have global exposure from the vantage of a university education is invaluable for international networking and global vision.”

The university has an average cohort size of about 2,000 students each year.

On the other hand, the report also stated that the National Research Foundation’s (NRF) Marine Science Research and Development programme is offering undergraduates from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University the chance to go on fully-funded overseas programmes focusing on the marine sciences. They include exchange programmes, research opportunities and internships.

The overseas programme awards are co-funded by the NRF and the science faculties of the two universities, and will start in July, said NUS professor Peter Ng, who is director of the programme. He commented: “We want to get students excited about marine science. The experience will then hopefully get them started on a research career in marine sciences and build national capabilities in this domain.”

On that note, Singapore Human Resources Institute president Erman Tan said overseas experience could help students learn to be independent and proactive in problem-solving. It would also help them be more adept at communicating with different people. “These are traits that employers will value, especially in our fast-paced, ever-changing economy,” he remarked.